Belladonna
by Temp-Err
Summary: 'So through endless twilights I dreamed and waited, though I knew not what I waited for. Then in the shadowy solitude my longing for light grew so frantic that I could rest no more.' - H.P Lovecraft, The Outsider.   Caesar X Courier
1. Prologue, His Calpurnia

**Authors Note:** Fallout New Vegas is my current baby, seriously, there is too much love in the room when I'm playing it. He he. I mean I know it's glitchy as fuck, I could compile a list of how many times I've been wondering the waste land only to have it freeze up on me, and I know the graphics haven't really progressed as far as you might have expected since Fallout 3. BUT! It's still an amazing game and so re-playable, they went all out on some of the characters and added in some nice little fun quests. Plus the Legion is just AMAZING and I think the characters defiantly have more depth to them, along with some fine ass mini-skirts. _Always true to Caesar...*jazz hands* _

Anyway this story may not be for everyone, so as with everything don't come here to complain if something happens you don't like, just don't read :-). The Courier is going to be called Lucina or Lucy in this story, which is Latin for _'Roman Goddess'_, though no doubt there are many other variations. The story itself is named Belladonna, a little cliché I know but I felt it was fitting, and the name if this chapter is a reference to Julius Caesar third wife Calpurnia Pisonis.

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He could distinctly recall the first time he laid eyes upon her, the memory itself stitched into his subconscious and often a notion his found his mind wondered back to from time to time – _how lasting first impressions are, and yet undoubtedly deceptive. _Caesar had heard many a tale of the woman's ventures, of the couriers accomplishments and quick advancements across the wasteland, she was like a phoenix arisen from the ashes burning all in it's path.

_Untameable and completely alluring._

Even Vulpes, a man more likely to kill you in your sleep than offer a compliment, had begrudgingly admitted to being impressed by her. It saddened him that his Frumentarii hadn't thought to get her name, 'courier' lacked the elegance he wished to bestow upon such a creature. All he knew at the time was her hair colour, a dark ashen brown that when lit by the sun displayed numerous colours akin to a rich velour.

She was a black widow as well they said and though he wasn't once to put much faith in conjecture, that wasn't to say he didn't inwardly hope some of them were true, a woman willing to scour the earth for her captor and then murder him in his sleep was a woman reading off the same page as he. Maybe she was a poet, as the artistic flare to way she dealt with people was nothing less than a masterpiece.

_'They say she hacked the robot to get into The Strip,'_ beauty as well as brains, a man couldn't wish for more, he hoped she wore something befitting of a such a title, coloured red.

How yet disinherited he had first been when the woman finally appeared after a few days of receiving his invitation, and when into his tent walked a woman who looked as if she'd just stumbled out of some backwater village. She was shorter than he had anticipated, though he was not some much of bigot to assume small people couldn't handle themselves. The woman was no more than 5'4ft and her build made her look like younger than she was, though he could see the age in her eyes. Possibly mid-20's if he had to hazard a guess, though he'd never ask her outright, woman could be so temperamental. _Like kittens walking over eggshells_ - a man should be gentle at first, then exert dominance later.

However as soon as the woman's pale features creased upon seeing him and a wide smile stretched across her face, he knew she was quite possibly insane. And he felt nothing but his desire burn up in his insides like taking a match to lighter fluid, it was insatiable, and he had to have her.

Her eyes stared out from beneath her wind swept hair that looked as if it had been prim and proper not a few minutes earlier, they were the coldest grey and he instantly reminisced about the first time he met personally with Vulpes. Cunning eyes, deceptive eyes, inviting her there seemed to have been a better idea than he had previously thought.

"So you're the great Caesar, leader of this misogynistic legion," and he had chuckled at her choice of words. No doubt she'd had a little talk with some of the slaves, his courier was the cautious type after all. "I love what you've done with the place," she earned herself a fleeting smile, though he was unsure as to what it was representative of.

"And you must be the Courier, I must say you're looking good for a woman who has not long ago taken two bullets to the head." It was his turn to to raise an eyebrow.

_She marched right into the Lucky 38, Mr. House must have big plans for her._

"Contrary to what Mr. New Vegas has says about me, my name isn't the Courier, you'd think these guys would get my name right before broadcasting about it," her smirk could level cities and he had to tighten his grip on his throne for fear he might suddenly grab her, _she was his Calpurnia._

The dark haired women let out a loud sighed and tucked her hair back behind her ear, trying to briefly tame the mess before continuing their conversation. "My names Lucina, but my friends call me Lucy," he wondered if she purposefully missed out the 'if I had any part.'

Lucina, what a name, he couldn't wait to whisper it in her ear as he bent her over his bed, hands groping softly at the pleasantness that was her chest. But work came first and he had big plans for her, so their meeting had been swift and to the point, leaving a residue of dissatisfaction in Caesar's stomach. The second she left the room turned cold and he leant forwards in his chair in contemplation.

If had known then what he knew now, he would have crushed her pretty little head between his hands until she begged for mercy and then taken her roughly one his throne. The look on Vulpes and Lucius's faces would have been more than entertaining no doubt.

_She was his Calpurnia,and before their business was through she would be his, or she would die._

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Okay that was the prologue to my story, and I know it was a little weird and all over the place, I promise that the longer chapters will be much more detailed and easier to follow. I guess with the prologue I wanted to create a sense of uncertainty and madness, since let's be honest, none of the Legion or anyone who works with them are playing with a full deck. Hopefully my updates will be quick and you like it so far, as always reviews are appreciated and I don't start smothering children when people point out mistakes, I am not perfect and my english skills are...less then desirable to the more eloquent of the masses.


	2. Chapter One, Adstringo

**Authors Note: ****I apologise for the dreadfully short length of this chapter, but here it is chapter one for all your viewing pleasure. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the story, added it to their favourites and added it to their alerts list. You have no idea how happy it makes me when I log on and see it, it makes me day! ********3**** OH YOU LITTLE ****DUCLIKNGS! ****This chapter is hopefully setting the scene for the rest of the story, as you are no doubt aware I am only following the general plot to Fallout New Vegas, for the most part I am changing things and bending them to my evil will. Vulpes is going to become the Courier's **_**(Or Lucy in this story) **_**main companion, because if I had my way that would be in the game as well. I'm also going to try and bring in a few of the other characters and give people cameo's, so tell me who you'd like to see make an appearance and I'll write them in.**

**Oh and by the way the name of this chapter 'Adstringo' is a Latin word meaning '**_**to draw together or to tighten or bind', **_**I do love my symbolism so expect a Latin name for every chapter with hidden meanings. Oh ho ho~**

**Anyway, on with the story – TempX**

"_You walk on like a woman in suffering,_

_Won't even bother now to tell me why._

_You come alone, letting all of us savour the moment,_

_Leaving me broken another time._

_You come on like a bloodstained hurricane,_

_Leave me alone, let me be this time._

_You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption,_

_I don't want to mention, the reason I know,_

_...that I am stricken and can't let you go" - **(Disturbed – Stricken)**_

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"You guys don't drink alcohol do you?" Lucy sat in a bored and careless manner at the small bar area just beyond what could have only been the Legion equivalent of a medical clinic. Her current and rather silent companion merely nodded as he had been all night. "You don't know what you're missing," the girl smirked and shifted once again on the small stool, she reached into her pack and pulled out a bottle of nuka-cola, she paused. "You're allowed this right?" She held the small bottle up for the Frumentarii to see, yet again he gave her a nod. "Ah good, I was worried you might have something against the caffeine in it," Lucy snorted out a laugh at the ridiculousness of their food and beverage laws before retching the top off and sipping the fizzy contents. She took a bigger swig, throwing her head back to get as much out as possible, her eyes travelled over to the man who merely watched her in mundane fascination. After she seemed satisfied with draining the cola's contents she slammed the empty glass down on the table and pushed it towards the slave girl currently working in the tent. "You don't talk much do you?" Her comment was the understatement of the century.

"Was there more for us too discuss?" Vulpes watched the slave girl quickly scurry to grab the bottle and toss it in a near by bin, he couldn't help but feel somewhat like a tour guide, rarely did he ever leave Caesar's tent and even then he was out of the Fort too quickly to register any of the new slave and legion faces. Unless someone did something remarkably interesting or stupid he had no reason catalogue the constant flooding of newbies, they all tended to blur into one after a while.

"I don't know, maybe you can tell me a little about yourself," Lucy leant forwards on the table-top, her chin rested neatly in her palm. "I mean Caesar has told me a little, but considering were comrades now maybe you could fill me in on the nitty-gritty." Vulpes raised his eyebrows at the woman's odd usage of language and while he didn't feel incline to suddenly have a heart to heart he had pretty much been told to humour the girl while Caesar made preparations for dealing with the Brotherhood of Steel.

"Well I was born in a tribe in Utah and was brought into the Legion much like everyone else," the man's blue eyes caught a hold of her gaze for a second before breaking off and staring into the distance. "I survived my training and was promoted to the rank of Decanus during my fifth year," he paused as Lucy pulled a confused expression. "Oh, a Decanus is a chief and a leader of a squadron," he face softened as her silent question had been answered. "Then during a battle I lead a small group of my comrades through a flaw in our enemies tactics and captured their chieftain resulting in their forfeit, against my centurion's orders of course." Vulpes smirked a little, a sense of nostalgia filling him for a brief moment. "The man had wanted me crucified, but Caesar has an eye for this sort of thing and transferred me to the Frumentarii, which brings us to where we are now."

"Enlightening." Lucy couldn't help but note how he'd skipped almost every interesting detail, she'd heard as much from Caesar himself. "Well what was your life like before that I mean, you know in Utah?" She sat back up right and reached into her pocket pulling out a small hair-band, she proceeded to tie her hair up in a small ponytail while waiting for Vulpes' answer.

"I don't see how that has anything to do with us being comrades, surely the information is more than enough detail for you to make a tactical decision," his pale featured creased for a minute and he seemed to look annoyed, before sheer indifference took over his pale face again.

"Maybe I'm just trying to be nice," Lucy batted her eyelashes, pretty certain he was the last man on earth to fall for such a pathetic ploy, "Or maybe I'm just curious, I have to admit, you left quite an impression on me back in Nipton." Now a hundred percent convinced no amount of speech ability would work on chatting the guy up she opted for stroking his ego and being truthful. "I did somewhat admire your sense of justice, that lottery seems like an adequate idea for dealing with such people," she thought back to the rows upon rows of hanging Powder-gangers. "I mean you have no way of knowing who's ticket will come out for what prize, it's as if everyone is stripped back to the basics of humanity, everyone is equal and has equal chance of being mercifully killed and set free." Some dark hair fell into her melancholic face as she began to slowly debate the nature of it to herself. "No amount of money can buy fate and you can't cheat it, there is-"

"-a certain stark beauty to it," Vulpes finished her sentence, his tone sharp and crispy. "It was just a shame the first place winner met such an untimely end out in the wastes not ten minutes after being set free." His eyes were upon her again, trying to read her expression. Lucy merely smiled in response and rocked her head to the side in a dazed manner.

"I wanted first place," her justification for shooting the man in the head now made clear.

"But you weren't even in the lottery," he quickly responded, now intrigued.

"I was in Nipton, and wasn't willing to take my chances, that number had to be some sort of good luck charm after all," Lucy tapped her fingers together in an odd fashion, "I mean, you let me leave without even a raised word."

Vulpes gave her a rare smile and closed his eyes, letting out a deep and thoughtful sigh. "You are the strangest woman," his voice slurred off towards the ends.

"I'm the only woman around here." She slammed her hand down, the **woman** cleaning the table to her left gave her a heartbroken look though Lucy didn't seem to notice, either that or she didn't care. He would bet money on the latter. "And I mean," the dark haired woman flung her arms out dramatically, adding an _'ompf' _to what she was about to say, "You think that would make me a catch, but no one's hit on me yet, not even Lucius, and he isn't bad looking you know." She gave Vulpes a knowing grin as if he stood there day after day adoring him from afar knowing all to well of his sexual magnitude, the man just stared blankly in response.

"You want someone to hit on you? And here I thought you were made of stone, not starved for attention are we?" His tone couldn't have been more mocking If he tried and he delighted in the little outburst of snorts it caused from the courier.

"Not starved, it would just be nice," her voice was very uppity. "You and Lucius are the only ones who ever speak to me, apart from Caesar."

"I wonder why that is," Vulpes cleared his throat, starting to think he was getting a little too caught up in the conversation. "You know how women are seen around here, so you must be surprised at how well others are treating you." He picked a piece of imaginary lint off his trousers and flicked it away. "It's not everyday a free woman marches in an out of Caesar's tent, in fact, it doesn't happen."

"You're saying I should feel special?"

"Not special, honoured," he took a brief breath. "You are considered one of his closest allies and have only been here for 3 months, most people spend their entire lives trying to build up such a rapport."

"Maybe he's jut a sucker for a pretty face." Lucy laughed into her hand and brushed away the piece of fringe that had been bugging her. Vulpes let an audible snort escape his mouth before his gaze drifted away from her face. _Pretty face huh? _He thought to himself, it was nice to see she wasn't lacking in modesty.

"If our Lord was such a die-hard fan of a pretty face then I wonder why so many equally 'pretty'," he said the words 'pretty' with an air of displeasure, "slaves and priestess's have been crucified or left to die." He then gave her a 'hm' look which told her she should rethink her current situation a little.

"Okay then, then maybe I am just special," Lucy cast aside his derisive tone as if it hadn't effected her. "Not everyone gets shot in the head and walks out of the Doctors house in the next few days." She had felt the need to provide some evidence towards her claim for specialness.

"I think that would make you more lucky as opposed to special, but I can appreciate where you're coming from," the Frumentarii pushed off of the counter and stood up, stretching his legs before he began to walk out of the small eating quarters, followed by Lucy who had matched his actions. "But either way you are Caesar's guest and an honorary member of the Legion, since women can't become full members of course," he flicked his hand to the side lazily as if trying to throw Lucy off guard with the sexist statement. She didn't really react apart from shoot him an annoyed glare. "And while you are here it is my responsibility to make sure your needs are attended to, our Lord seems to have gathered that you and me have a level of understanding, god knows why."

"We're two peas in a pod alright," she replied sarcastically. "and at the moment my needs are in dire need of a bath." She crossed her arms coolly and followed behind him as they walked up the hilltop towards Caesar's tent. Lucy narrowly avoiding being knocked over by the whirlwind of destruction that was the children Legionnaires, the children charged past her laughing and seemingly playing tag. She inwardly cursed herself for being so smitten about their cute outfits, but damn they were adorable.

"Luce," Vulpes stood near the middle of the path leading up to the tent, gesturing for her to come towards him. The dark haired courier nodded and jogged up beside him.

"What is it?" She looked around, half expecting to see a dead body – _a mental flashback to a rather interesting event in Freeside now filling her with a sense of nostalgia as well._ She couldn't help but chuckle. Lucy looked at Vulpes and then followed his gaze outwards towards the sky, she stared blankly at the reddish hue that now stretched out above them and the glimpse of the setting sun just beyond the horizon, it's rays burning at the edges of The Fort's high walls. "Why are we watching the sunset?" She wasn't denying that it wasn't pretty, it did tend to calm the soul, but she had never pegged Vulpes for being such a sentimental type.

"No reason, I just thought it looked rather interesting tonight," Vulpes didn't feel the need to explain himself so he merely shrugged Lucy off and held the flap back to Caesar's tent. He watched as the girl's small form ducked under his arm and walked into the large settlement before walking in himself, making sure to zip the door back up.

Lucius looked up as Vulpes and Lucy entered, his dark eyes flitting between the two before locking onto Vulpes and giving him a knowing nod. The man in question then turned to stare at the vacant throne which usually inhabitant their leader, it's emptiness raised many questions in the girls mind though the others new all to well where he was.

"Where is Caesar?" Lucy walked towards the seat as if expecting to find some clue as to where he went, she paused and looked around the room before lifting her arm to catch a glance at the time on the pit-boy. It was around 6pm, maybe he had gone off to find something to eat. She stared at Vulpes who was giving her a scrutinising look, deciding whether to inform her of their current problems. Lucius nodded at Vulpes again and returned to staring angrily at a small mechanism in front of him.

"Caesar is probably in bed resting," he tried to word it in a fashion that didn't make it sound like he was physically weak, he knew what happened to people who spoke as such. "A slight headache." It sounded like a reasonable enough answer.

"Headache huh?" Lucy turned around and walked towards the second set of flaps that separated off Caesar's room, she reached out and pulled one back. Someone caught her wrist before she could enter the room and spun her around forcefully. "What the-," she was cut off by being roughly thrown aside, the curtain falling in place again. Her light eyes narrowed at Vulpes who looked about ready to throttle her, his usually passive face a mixture of rage and sheer shock.

"What do you think you are doing, do you want to be killed?" It felt like a straight forward question though it's meaning was lost on Lucy who was still fuming about being manhandled away from the door. Her face went red with embarrassment when she saw Lucius staring at her, an unreadable look on his face.

"I was going to see if he was alright, there was no need to tackle me," her voice was at a whispering level but the harshness of her words bite out in a frosty manner. She wasn't used to being treated with such suspicion let alone her good intentions being thrown back in her face. "I was worried, is all." Her and Vulpes swapped curious glances before she looked down at the wrist he was still clutching tightly. "Can you let go please?" She spoke, somehow managing to keep her voice steady even under the pressure of his grip and the awkwardness of the situation. Thankfully he let go but continued to stare at her, not moving from his guarded position near the entrance to the bedroom.

"Vulpes," a voice caught them both from their death locked staring match, in unison they moved a little to the left and re-opened the flap to stare into the darkness that was Caesar's room. Vulpes' eyes adjusted quicker, but he still didn't enter.

"Yes Lord Caesar," he made an undignified grunt as Lucy's head suddenly rammed into his shoulder and pushed him aside so she could get a better look in. He gritted his teeth and sighed, he'd never get used to such a boisterous woman.

"Let her in." There was a small shuffling as a smudge of blackness appeared sitting upright on the bed before groaning and quickly laying back down. Lucy instantly walked in, muttering a curse under her breath as she smacked her leg on a stool, she then bent down and grabbed it and dragged it over to his bedside using the little light from the outer room to make a safe path. Vulpes watched like a hawk, the little part of him that still mistrusted her ready for a sudden sneak attack, - _it never happened._

"Are, you okay Caesar?" It felt like a dumb question when she thought of it, but now Lucy had actually asked it it seemed beyond idiocy, she quickly back tracked her words. "I mean in the long term, do you get many headaches like this?" She was trained in the medical field but was far from completely her studies to be a doctor, however even with her average level of knowledges she could tell this wasn't the a 'slight headache' as she had previously been informed. Lucy leant forwards and rolled up her sleeve, pressing the back of her hand onto Caesar's forehead, he flinched slightly but relaxed at the coolness on her hand, she on the other hand became a little more worried. "You're quite hot," she thought back to the med-x that had been taken from her when entering the Fort, it would have been useful now but considering her patient he'd probably throw it back in her face.

"Lucy, I have your next task," Caesar's voice weakened a little but he continued to speak. "You're going to find the Brotherhood of Steel." Lucy winced herself when he groaned and curled up in the bed, hugging the pillow into his face. "..._Brotherhood of Steel_..." he stuttered out, forgetting what he was saying and now just repeating thing. ".._find them._..."

"Okay I got you," she pressed her hands on the edges of the mattress, her eyebrows knitting together in a V shape as she watched the man huddle into the fetal position. "Are they going to join the Boomers and the White Glove Society? Because I don't know much about the Brotherhood of Steel so being diplomatic with them might prove tricky," she felt a hand snake out from under the covers and enclose around her own, it however wasn't a tender touch.

"...kill them." His grip loosened and flopped onto its side next to hers as if he had fallen unconscious out of the pain. "And Vulpes," the man still standing in the doorway suddenly stood to attention upon hearing his name being called. "You are to go with her." Vulpes' face went from stoic to confusion, he glanced at Lucy who looked equally bewildered as to why suddenly she was being escorted on a mission. Caesar however didn't give any reasoning and instead rolled over in defeat, turning his back on them.

Lucy took that as a sign to leave so she quickly gathered herself up and walked out of the room, the curtain door falling behind he swiftly. "How often does he get these headaches?" She didn't do well in masking the worry in her voice.

"It's not my place to say Lucy, now let's focus on the job at hand." Vulpes walked forwards and turned into a small armoury area where he began to gather his stuff. "I suggest we go incognito since charging in there in full scale Legion uniforms will only lead to a bloody battle, and you and I are hardly an army." He pulled out the black suit he had worn when cornering her on The Strip, followed by a red pattered summer dress no doubt for her.

"Yeah you're probably right, though these outfits are hardly subtle, what's our story?" She cast aside her questions about Caesar's ailment for now and did as she was told, lifting the dress up and looking it up and down.

"I'll think of something when we get there, just make sure you hide your weapons and keep that mouth of yours quiet," Vulpes chuckled lightly at the disdain on her face.

"It's going to be a pleasure working with you it seems," Lucy openly mocked him and walked off towards the opposing room, hiding behind the corner as she proceeded to get changed.

"As with you," he walked to the mirror and pulled the fedora hat onto his head, a grim expression on his face, he really did not like this look.

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**End Note: **And that's a wrap for Chapter one, as always if you notice any horrendous spelling mistakes please tell me. I do try to read through all my writing but sometimes things escape me and then I feel stupid. Chapter Two will be up after Christmas so hang tight, if you're following the story that is and I haven't bored you to death XD.

**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!...from Temp 3**


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